Brush for cleaning boiler and other tubes



June 22, 1937. L J PRUZZOLA 2,084,360

BRUSH FOR CLEANING BOILER AND OTHER TUBES Filed May 7, 1935 FIGURE l 5H,: 2O V g\\\\\\\\\ at H l0 l4 FIGURE 2 INVENTOR Patented June 22, 1937 PATE BRUSH FOR CLEANING BOILER AND OTHER TUBES Louis J. Spruzzola, United States Navy (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) My improved brush is economically produced and is readily refillable when the bristle units have become worn.

In the drawing, illustrating my invention, and

in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts:

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a brush body constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates the finished brush.

The brush body It] comprises a relatively long cylindrical body having projecting centrally from one end a threaded cylindrical portion II of reduced diameter. The opposite end of the body I 0 is provided with a shoulder I2 of reduced diameter and relatively narrow, terminating in a shoulder I3. Centrally in the shouldered end of the body Ill is formed a cylindrical opening I5 extending substantially the length of the body Ill. In the shouldered end of brush body II! are formed a plurality of pairs of relatively narrow radial open slots M extending through the central opening I5, through the outer surface and longitudinally of the brush body It! to a point 5 near the opposite end of said body. The relative diameters of opening I5 and of the brush body IE aiford relatively thick walls for brush body I ll and relatively deep faces for the walls of slots I4. The width of the slots I4 is substantially the diameter of the wire or other rope I6 adapted to form the bristle units. The length of these slots it from the shoulder I3 to the rear end of slots I4 is a multiple of the diameter of rope I6 when its coils are tightly pressed together.

The portions of body It! intermediate slots I4 are keystone shaped. Bristles may be inserted in the slots I4, preferably through the open ends of each pair of slots, until the slot is filled to the shoulder I3. The bristles preferably are of a continuous length extending from a point beyond the diameter of brush body Ill through one of the slots I4 and about the sharp inner edges of the keystone-shaped portions of the body I0 between adjacent slots and extending through the adjacent slot to a point beyond the periphery of body Ill. These points where the bristles terminate comprise the brush or cleaning surface of the brush, as indicated in Fig. 2. When the slots It are filled with bristles, collar 29 is forced over the shoulder I2 of body I0 and against shoulder I3 thereof. In such position, collar 20 presses the coils tightly together in their respective slots I4.

The bristle units are securely held in their brushing positions by the tightness with which the side walls of slots I4 engage the portions of rope I6 therein, and by the force with which ring 20 clamps the rope portions longitudinally in slots I4, as well as. by the sharp bends of the rope portion at the interior corners of the keystoneshaped portion of body Ill. The length of brush body l0 and the depth of slots l4 aiTord some outward spring to the keystone-shaped portions of body Ill when the coils are inserted or formed thereabout, and the collar 28, when in position, prevents such spring and insures the rigid holding of the rope portion between the walls of slots I4.

The diameter of projection Q2 of brush body I 9 and the internal diameter of ring 26 are slightly tapered so that the ring 28, when inserted on to projection I2 and forced into contact with shoulder l3 of body II will cause the keystone-shaped portions of body I0, between the slots It, to be moved slightly inward. This inward motion clamps the bristles tightly in their respective slots I4 and holds them so rigidly that the cleaning surface formed by the adjacent ends of the bristles may function more efficiently in cleaning. The taper of the ring 28 upon the shoulder I2, together with the inward pressure of the keystone-shaped portions of body It maintained by ring 20 and its tapered bore, forms a very efficient securement for the slotted end of the brush body ID as well as an efilcient end clamp upon the bristles in each of the slots M.

This application is for subject matter disclosed in application No. 661,116, of which this applicant was the sole inventor and for the purpose of leaving in said application only the subject matter of the sole invention of Lieutenant-Commander Edgar P. Kranzfelder.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

Having so fully shown and described my invention that others may therefrom make and use the same, what I claim and pray to securev by Letters Patent is:--

1. A brush including a cylindrical body, a central longitudinal cylindrical projection on one end of and less in diameter than said body, said body and projection provided with longitudinal slots transverse to and communicating with one another, and leaving sector-like portions of the body between the transverse slots, wire bristles doubled upon themselves to provide pairs of angularly arranged tufts, said pairs of tufts being seated in the slots with the tufts @of each pair extending outwardly through adjacent slots and the connecting portions of said tufts of each pair between said slots being in communication between said slots, and a ring of a width substantially that of the length of and adapted to fit over said projection with its adjacent edge clos- 'ing the outer end'of, and confining said tuft in, each of said slots. V i

2. Abrush including a cylindrical body said body provided with longitudinal slots transverse through adjacent slotsand the connecting portions between said tufts extending between said slots in the interior of said body, a projection of said body upon the slotted end thereof being of reduced diameter and having a shoulder upon the innerend thereof; the periphery of said projection being tapered, slightly less in diameter at its outer than at its shouldered end, and a ring having a correspondingly tapered bore adapted to fit upon said projection and against said shoulder'for securing the sector-like portions to:

gether at their outer ends and clamping the' V 10 '3. A brush comprising a cylindrical body hav 'ing a tapered projection upon at least one end bristle units in their respective slots. 7

thereof, slots formed through said body and ex- Y tending from the outer'end of said tapered portion to apointnear the opposite end ofsaid body, said slots being adapted to receive bristlematerial, and a relatively thin, long ringhaving a tapered bore cooperating with the taper of said projection for inwardly moving portions of the cylindrical body intermediate said slots and clamping the bristle material in said slots. V

' LOUIS J. SPRUZZOLA. 

